FanNation - The Republic of Sport

It looked like it might happen. 

            The skies clouded up.  The humidity dropped. It really looked like the Ross Ade faithful would be showered with a victory last Saturday against a ranked team.  It hasn't happened since 2003 and last Saturday it finally looked like the day of redemption arrived. 

            So close but yet so far.  The Oregon Ducks waddled back from a 17-point deficit to beat the Boilermakers in double overtime, 32-26.

            Sitting high above the crowds in Purdue President France A. Córdova's suite on the 40 yard line, I thought a leap from the glass enclosed booth might end my suffering that came over me rather quickly.  Losing doesn't feel any better from VIP accommodations as from a $20 end zone seat behind the marching band.  But after a meandering hike through campus, past the fountain and back to the Memorial Union, I came to the conclusion that despite the loss, this Boilermaker team came close to winning a game where so called "experts" predicted a double digit blow out. 

            Head coach Joe Tiller told reporters after the game he didn't consider the game against Oregon any sort a moral victory. 

            "I'm really pleased about our effort level. I think if our football team goes out and puts it on the line like that every week, we're going to win our share of football games," Tiller was quoted in news reports.  Joe is probably right.

            The Purdue defense did one of the best jobs I've seen in the past couple of years.  Oregon boasted the best offense in the nation, thanks in part to two games against less-than-stellar competitors.  But Purdue handled them. Safety Frank Duong led Purdue in tackles for a second consecutive week. His 11 stops eclipsed his previous career high of eight total tackles established last weekend against Northern Colorado.  My only concern is the leading tackler is a defensive back which means the offense is getting past the line men and linebackers.  In the end, the only thing that really matters is the final score.  This is a good defensive unit and if the offense can come together, good things will follow. 

            Purdue's offense controlled the ball for 35 minutes against Oregon's 25 minutes of offense.  In the fourth quarter, Purdue had the ball for almost 11 minutes!  Unfortunately, Purdue got into an overtime position where time no longer matters and each team is challenged to move the ball 25 yards for either 3 or 6 points.  Overtime can be a cruel master and Tiller's Purdue teams lost twice as many games in overtime as they've won.  This was one of them.

            Offensively, Kory Sheets had an incredible day amassing 180 yards and two touchdowns.  While quarterback Curtis Painter completed over half his pass attempts (26-50), he had two interceptions and his game management skills on the field were extremely questionable for a fifth year player.  Tiller spread the blame around and pointed out that receivers were not maneuvering around defensive pressure fast enough to put them in a position to complete the play.  Controlling the ball is good and Purdue did that.  But the name of the game is to score the most points.  Because Purdue failed to score, it put Chris Summers in a tenuous situation to kick a game winning, 47-yard field goal, against the wind, for the upset victory.  By now you know the dependable Summers missed his fifth attempt of the day despite making the previous four.  Nope.  No Motor City Bowl game finish for Purdue.  The offense should've been able to preserve a 3-score lead and not leave the balance of a game to the instep of a soccer-style kicker's right foot.

            The good news for Purdue fans is this week's opponent isn't ranked in the various Top-25 polls.  But now the bad news.  The opponent is no stranger:  the Central Michigan Chippewas. 

            Having met four times since 1999 and three times in little over a year, Purdue has won all games by a total score of 202 to 86 points.  Purdue and Central Michigan squared off twice last year, once in the regular season and again in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit. The Boilermakers were victorious in both, winning 45-22 in Ross-Ade Stadium and holding off a resurging Chippewa comeback, 51-48, in an offensive shootout at Ford Field.  The Boilermakers better not take the Chippewas for granted, and look ahead to next week's game against Notre Dame.  This is going to be a difficult game. 

            Central Michigan got soundly beaten by the second ranked team in the nation, Georgia, two weeks ago.  But last week, Central Michigan improved their season record to 2-1 by beating fellow Mid-America conference foe Ohio University, 31-28.  This is the same Ohio University team that nearly beat Ohio State in Columbus the week previous.  Don't ever sell Mid American Conference teams short because they play hard against Big Ten Conference teams.  This week's matchup between the Boilermakers and the Chippewas will be no exception. 

            Chippewa quarterback Dan LeFevour is experienced and knows the Boiler defense.  He's thrown for 300 or more yards in a game, seven times in his career (361 yards last week). Not only can LeFevour pass but he can run.  Last week, he was Central Michigan's leading rusher (59 yards).  But like Purdue, this is a pass happy team.  Nine different receivers recorded catches last week as compared Painter who only threw to six different targets against Oregon and four against Northern Colorado!  One of LeFevour's favorite targets is another upperclassman, Bryan Anderson.  While Central Michigan probably boasts a better passing and receiving corps combo than Purdue this year, the Boilermaker defense, specifically the defensive backfield, is markedly more improved from last year. 

            Defensively, not much has changed at the Mount Pleasant, MI, campus.  Georgia dominated the Chippewas using a balanced attack of passing and running the ball.  Ohio University passed the ball almost twice as much as they ran.  Bottom line:  Central Michigan gives up a lot of yardage.  The real question is can Central Michigan pressure Curtis Painter or the meager Boilermaker receiving squad enough to tip the offensive balance? 

            I think this game is going to be a lot closer than records would indicate.  Purdue put a big hurt on Oregon last week but didn't have enough offensive power to maintain their lead.  Central Michigan has the ability to score more than 30 points.  Hopefully Painter will showcase a fifth year senior quarterback's proficiency.  Home field gives Purdue the better edge. 

            Boiler Up!  My game viewing location won't be as austere as last week's perch in the Ross Ade's President's Suite but that doesn't mean the joy of victory or the agony of defeat will be any less flavorful.  Get out wherever you are, wear your Purdue shirts. Go Purdue scalp the Chippewas!